Game



July 2l, `1925.

L. FRITZ GAME Filed Aug. l1. 1922 Patented July 21, 1925.

UNITED STATES Lewis isa-ruiz, or CHICAGO, rumors.

GAME.

Application filed August 11, 1922. Serial No. 581,084.

To @ZZ whom t 'may concer/n:

` Be it known that I, Lewis Fin'rz, a cit1- Azen. of the UnitedStates, and a resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, .and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Games, of which the lfollowing is a` specification.

` My inventionrelates to new and useful improvements in games and especially `relatesto a checker game constructed and designed for the vblind and has for its principal object the provision of an improved construction of this character which will be highly efficient in use.

A further object of the `invention is the provisinof numerical arrangement for tabulatingthe different moves conducted at the time playing vthe game, sothat one, after finishing the game is able to refer to the tabulated list and note the various moves that he made and thus be able to note such moves `that were improper, at the time, to make, thisarrangementbeing especially designed forvothers than a blind personand as the description of the invention is more Ifully set forth `it `will be seen `that these numerical varrangements are a part of the game when played by blind persons.V Other objects `will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in .the combina- Vtion and arrangements of parts hereinafter described `and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by `reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the s specification,V and in which,

Fig. `1,' is a `plan view of the checkerboard u side of the game, embodying the invention,

Fig. 2, is a horizontal sectional view of the same,

Fig. 3, is a fragmentary enlarged sectional detail view taken substantially on line SW3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4, is a fragmentary detail view taken substantially on line 4-4 ofFig. 2.

The preferred form of construction comprises a game board A' of. box-like struc ture, having wall portions 10 and 11, and the interior of the structure being divided into triangularly shaped pockets 12 by in# tersecting partitions 13 and 14. The boX- Vlike structure can be formed of wood or the like, but in the present instance, I prefer to form the entire game out of light metal, such as aluminum. or the like.

Arranged to slide in the pockets 12 are drawers 15. of similar shape, the movements of which being guided byoppositely disposed pin members 16 adapted to Work in parallel grooves 16 impressed in the bottoms 17 of the drawers v15.4 Carried by each of the drawers 15 are suitable knobs 18, to facilitate opening'and closing the drawers. The purpose of the drawers are for the stor age of checkers7 cards, or other `similar game parts, when the game board is not in use.

Thewall portion 10 constitutes the checker board and is divided Ainto a. desirable number of'squares 18. and 19 as illustrated,

`said squares being characterized alternately Each of the depressed squares ,bear a` character number ranging from 1 to 25 on one -half portion of the game board and similar on the` other half portion of .the game board, Aas clearly shown in Fig.. 1. The outer or edge rows 20 of squares bearing character numerals ranging from 1 to 10 inclusive and reading from left 4to right corners. These character numbers are preferably set up in relief as indicated at 2*'1, the purpose of which will be `hereinafter stated.

y Thewall portion 11 can be utilized as a card table or the like and is preferably coated with a suitable stain `and varnish ivhich will provide `a smooth and even sur- As has already been stated, the construction of the game board Ais .especially vdesigned as a checker game to be played by blind persons and the game is played as follows:

Let it be assumed that two blind persons are playingthe checker game and the one on the right half portion of the gaine board, has checkers preferably round on the depressed squares numbered 13, 111 and 15, and that the player on the left half portion (d) of the checker board has checkers preferably square on the impressed squares designated by the character numerals 24: and 25 and that he is moving the checkers in the direction toward his opponent. Being blind he is unable to determine the location of his opponents Checkers andas he is informed that the marginal squares are numbered from l to which indicate 10 rows, and by placing his finger on any one of his opponents checkers he can trace the row to the marginal row and feel the numeral of that row and thereby determine that his opponents checkers are located on the eighth row. He next determines the most advantageous move that he can make and he accomplishes this by feeling the impressed white squares and as he does not feel a checker located in the square he will know that his opponent has not a checker located there and by thus feeling around he will be able to determine the best move to make.

Primarily the marginal character numerals of the marginal squares are for the uraose of enabling a blind aerson to determine the location of his opponents checkers and also` the farthest advancement of his opponents checkers and also` how far away he is from his own goal. layers other than blind persons may keep a tally sheet and thereon write down the numbers of the squares representing the inoves they make during the course of the game. lWith the tally sheet as a. guide the players may, at any time, retrace the moves they make. For keeping tally blind players mayeinploy any suitable recordingsystem or device with which they are familiar.

It is believed that by a construction of a game as herein set forth that ther game will provide much amusement for the` blind and while it is especially designed for the blind, it will be observed that the gaine can also be used by others than the blind.

lhile I have illustrated and described the preferred foren of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing vfrom the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise detailsof construction set forth, but

desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention7 what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A gaine of the class described comprising a game-board divided into pockets and having one wall portion divided into a plurality of squares, each alternate square being depressed and bearing a character numeral in relief.

2. A game of the class described comprising a game-board having one wall portion divided into a plurality of alternately depressed and raised squares; and character numerals in relief in the wall of the depressed squares.

3. A gaine of the class described comprising a gaine-board having one wall portion divided into a plurality of alternately depressed and raised squares; character numerals in relief in the wall of the depressed squares; and marginally arranged character numerals designating the number of rows of squares.-

4. A gaine of the class described comprising a structure divided into pockets and having one wall portion divided into a number of alternately-depressed and raised squares adapted to be used as a checker board; pockets formed in said checker board by intersecting partitions; and drawers slidably arranged in said pockets.

5. A game of the class described comprising` a box-like structure having one wall portion divided into a number of squares adapted to be used as a checker board; pockets formed in said checker board by intersecting partitions; draiifcrs slidably arranged in said pockets there being parallel grooves formed in the bottoms of said drawers; and pin members carried by the adjacent wall portion of said game board adapted to engage said grooves for guiding the movement of'said drawers.

In testimony whereof l have signed my i name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEWIS FRlTZ. Witnesses CnoiiiiA lWOGRATH, CLARENCE E. Trnznnnr. 

